Pros and Cons of Pirabakaran’s death

(June 01, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka says Pirabakaran is dead. Majority of the LTTE support base says Pirabakaran is alive. A section of the LTTE says Pirabakaran is dead. Anti- LTTE support base says Pirabakaran is dead. The international opinion contends Pirabakaran is dead.

Within this divide, who is right and who is wrong? For Sri Lanka, Pirabakaran is the most wanted man in the country. When his death was announced on the 18th May, it was claimed Sri Lankan forces killed him in a confrontation. The government put up news and pictorial evidence of his killing continuously in the media.

On the 16th May itself, claims were made through telephonic and text messaging that Pirabakaran is dead and his body has been flown to Colombo quoting government Defence Ministry sources.

No one knows how Pirabakaran died as claimed by the government. When I spoke to an intimate contact of Pirabakaran, he confirmed the dead body is not that of his. He was so close to Pirabakaran that he told me: ‘Annai (elder brother) always maintained that he will shoot himself in the head if his life is threatened. His bodyguards were told to burn his body or at least burn down his head to loose his identity’.

The pro-LTTE Tamilcircle.net published some pictures and made some comments on the face of the pictures.

Translation: There is no mud in his body.

Head injury is being wrapped by a sarong. The injury is seen above the left eyebrow. Compare this injury with the other pictures. It appears this must be part of first set of photographs taken soon after the death. The eyes remain closed and the body looks bloated. There is not blood or stain in the sarong wrapped.

This picture released by the government shows ‘eyes wide open’.

Pirabakaran is in his uniform. The moustache appears to be slightly different and his left eye does not show the black scar or injury above the eye as in the first photo. The injury on the forehead is also comparatively smaller than the one below.

The picture shows injury to the forehead and the dead man is in the LTTE attire.

‘Closed eyes – and the mud’ states the Tamil writing.

Compare the mustache. The forehead shows receding hair which is not visible in Pirabakaran’s true photographs.

Karuna and Daya Master witnessing the body surrounded by the army. As claimed by Pirabakaran’s close contact, Karuna and Daya Master knows that Pirabakaran always wear boxer shorts and not amudai’s (traditional/ancient underwear) as depicted in the picture.

This picture is from Theepori.com which shows much deeper wound on the forehead. This photo clearly reflects the receding hair on the forehead.

Why did the government create so much confusion by not following the simple and established routines to confirm the death in an open and transparent manner?

v There was no post-mortem on the dead body.

v There was no independent evidence that bullet found on the head matches with the gun used by Pirabakaran or even the soldier who shot him.

v There was no independent DNA test. Initially media reported that DNA test had not been carried out and his body had been cremated. Then it was reported his body parts had been removed before cremation. Following this, under pressure, further statement appeared confirming army medical officers had matched the DNA with Pirabakaran’s son.

v Why did the government rush and cremate the body without keeping it in a mortuary until full investigation was concluded.

v Can Karuna and Daya master be witnesses of the dead body when they have compromised themselves to the government and confirming the death in the presence of the army?

Then there is further unanswered question bewildering even those who are happy that Pirabakaran is dead. They ask where is the jubilation amongst the soldiers on seeing the dead body of Pirabakaran.

If these pictures are true reflection, there is also an issue of ‘war crime’ accorded to the dead in a conflict said a LTTE contact. -Sri Lanka Guardian

Related Posts

Post a Comment

3 comments

So many confusion around Pirbaharan dead body. As author said Pro-gove & Anti-LTTE said he is dead. Pro-Tiger LTTE said he is not but some claim he is dead. But for majority he is no more. Even with confusion government showed some proofs of his death. But up to now pro LTTE unable to provide any proof what so ever to prove he is alive. Only thing they had so far is fabricated picture which Pirbaharan watching his dead.

This brought shame to pro LTTE as this proved to all the world this is manipulated false picture.

If Pirbha is alive let him to alive. Even if he is alive now he is 54. All his tiger leadership eliminated by Sri Lanka Army. He will never ever be able to give a life to his movement again. Only thing he could do is he can be another Idi Amin living alone secretly without his family and closest friends.

He will be a dead body even if he alive. Pro LTTE tamil diaspora can still feed him to have a long last good life in exile as a gratitude for what he have done to Tamil society.

For me let alive Pirbha. There should be a way Pro LTTE tigers in exile to survive. Only that way is collect funds and to do that Pirbaharan must alive.

SL Govt says Prabakaran has been killed;Pro-LTTE says Prabakaran is alive and which is advantageous for them. Govt says entire leadership has been killed. What does pro- LTTE say about that. Does pro-LTTE talk about the proper ientification of the entire leadership killed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT US

The Sri Lanka Guardian is an online web portal founded in August 2007 by a group of concerned Sri Lankan citizens including journalists, activists, academics and retired civil servants. This portal is currently a platform for over hundred regular writers from around the world.